Muggles, Hogwarts, and Others Read The Books
by MusicalRenegade16
Summary: Hari's entire life is being read to the school... and the Dursleys. Not to mention that her family from the future just visited. Fem!Clever!Genius!Prankster!Powerful!Harry Powerful!Secretly Clever!Prankster!Neville
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I on't own anything! Hello it's me! Enjoy!**

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**CH: 1**

Hari woke up and promptly rolled over, burying her face in the pillow. Hermione however, yanked away the covers. She immediately curled into a tight ball and shivered.

"Hari, if you don't get up now, all the bacon will be go-" Hari leapt up and tore through the dorms, getting ready in record time before racing down to breakfast. "… one"

She sighed and followed her out, shaking her head fondly. Her friends and their food.

Breakfast passed uneventfully enough, until the minister, Rita Skeeter, Amelia Bones, and Cornelius Fudge walked in and the Toad gave her nauseating fake cough. Suddenly, the entire room began to shake. There was a brilliant, blinding flash of light before four people slammed into the floor. There were a few low moans until they sat up. "Mam is going to _kill_ us."

"Mam? What about _Da?_"

"Excuse me children, but would you mind explaining who you are, and what you're doin-"

Umbridge was cut off by the same events that brought the children, however this time, it deposited a tall, well-muscled young man on his feet, and then a tiny figure with a long braid of a black, black, blue color was tossed into his arms. He carefully righted her once more before they turned to face the boys.

"James, Sirius, Remus, and Severus Longbottom- Potter, what in the name of Merlin do you think you were doing in my office?" The tiny woman murmured. There was a wild outbreak of startled whispers when she said 'Longbottom-Potter', and everyone stared from her, with her blue black hair, to Hari, whose hair was exactly the same.

"We're sorry Mam, we didn't mean to break it, honest!"

"Boys, I'm not mad it's broken. I'm mad because you could have been hurt. Though I must admit, taking advantage of your Aunt Mione while your Da and I were at the Wizengamont was pretty clever-"

"Hari!" Her husband's glare cut her smile off until she was giving the boys a stern look. "Save the compliments for _after_ cleanup and punishment."

"Yeah, yeah," she waved her hand. "You four, hand it over." She held out her hand and in it they placed what was barely recognizable as a time turner. Unfortunately, the toad couldn't remain silent any longer.

"Hem hem, excuse me, but as Hogwarts High Inquisitor and Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, I must demand to know who you are." Both adults stiffened when they heard the fake cough, and the woman, Hari, actually snapped her wrist, sending her wand shooting into her hand, before whirling and aiming it at Umbridge.

"I don't take orders and demands well, toad, especially from the likes of _you_." The Irish accent in her voice was extremely thick, prompting her children to straighten up, and her husband to place a gently hand on the arm bearing the wand.

"How dare you speak to me like that!"

"How dare I?" She let out a humorless chuckle that chilled the room. "Says the woman who'll be-"

"Hari, foreknowledge," her husband warned.

"Alright Neville, I'll leave her be, however," she waved her wand, and Umbridge worked her mouth furiously, but remained blessedly silent.

The entire hall cheered. They quickly fell silent however, as Dumbledore stood. "Excuse me, but may I inquire as to your identity?"

"Of course. I am Lord Neville Longbottom, Lord and Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House And Line Of Longbottom, Lord and Heir of the noble and ancient line of Hufflepuff" He offered a shallow formal bow. "Husband to Lady Harmony Lily Jamie Moony Siria Potter, Lady and Heir to the most Ancient and Noble Houses and Lines of Potter, formerly Peverell, and Black Lady and Heir of the noble and ancient lines of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Evans, Prince, and Lupin. These are our sons, James Neville Longbottom-Potter, Sirius Frank Longbottom-Potter, Remus Charlus Longbottom-Potter, and Severus Albus Longbottom-Potter. Our other son, Theodore Remus Lupin is at home. Now we must be going-"

Hari suddenly collapsed, Neville barely catching her in time. Madame Pomfrey and Snape hurried over as she started to convulse. "It's ok she's fine, it's left over from the war. Too many Crucios, far too many curses, and one too many AK's. They say she'll be fine. The muggles call it epilepsy, and she made a potion that helps, but she's still refining it."

Snape snatched the proffered bottle away. "Give me an hour, and I should have a cure."

"Thank you." Pomfrey started emergency procedures as Hari stopped breathing. Neville gently pulled her away. "She's fine; she's just talking to Death. It happens sometimes."

An hour later, Hari gasped, and sat up coughing, and Neville helped her drink some pumpkin juice, before Snape returned with the potion. Neville helped her drink that as well, they removed the spell from Umbridge, and then they left. Once the light disappeared, the hall erupted into a roar of sound, save for two certain people who had sat in shock through the entire thing. They were Neville and Harry of course.

Dumbledore returned the room to order before Umbridge tried again. "Hem hem, as I was saying before, I have recently come in possession of a set of Verity Books, books that only tell the truth. All they require is a drop of blood to activate. They deal in the past, the present, and the future. These particular books are a set of seven, exposing the lies of one Harmony Potter! The Minister has ordered that they be read, so that is what we shall do." The hall shifted so there were cushions and squishy seats instead of hard benches and tables. The area under the Golden Quartet **(AN: yes, I'm adding Neville.)** turned so they each had a long pillow they could lay on, blankets, and pillows.

There was another flash, and more people appeared: a woman with violently pink hair, a man with sandy hair and shabby robes, a large, black dog, five redheads, a scarred, grizzled man a whale-like boy, a walrus-like man and woman, and a horse-like man.

The animal trio started to freak out, the man was swearing, the woman was shrieking hysterically, the boy was cowering, and the other woman was in shock.

"It would seem Hogwarts wants them here. Who will read first?"

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**AN: Hope you didn't hate it, your friendly neighborhood Renegade. - RbelUp**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, I swear!**

**Finally done this! Sorry, but I have problems typing, so it takes a while. Enjoy!**

**AN: Just so your warned, if you didn't gather from the summary, there will be lots of changes to the books. Most of it will be exact, but I reserve the right to play with it as much as I want. I will update as often as possible, enjoy! I would love constructive criticism, if you don't mind.-Fly On, Fly Strong, Fly Forever, Fly High, Fight Hard, Live Free**

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**Previously:**

The animal trio started to freak out, the man was swearing, the woman was shrieking hysterically, the boy was cowering, and the other woman was in shock.

"It would seem Hogwarts wants them here. Who will read first?"

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**CH: 2**

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said we're actually _reading this?"_ demanded Ron, as he and Hermione silenced the four Dursleys.

"I believe an order from the minister for magic trumps anyone's wishes, Mr. Weasley." The toad interjected.

The dog rushed to Hari's side and curled up quickly, licking her cheek and breaking her out of her stupor. He did the same to Neville, and nestled at their feet, wagging his tail. Then Neville found his voice, shocking everyone.

"However, an Order from a Most Ancient and Noble House trumps the ministry, or have you forgotten? In this room, there are representatives of each of the eight Olde Houses. Of which _you_," He offered a sneer befitting of Malfoy himself. "are not. In fact, _you,_ as derisive and mighty as you presume to act, are merely the half-blood daughter, of a squib." He got to his feet. "I call for a vote of the Houses. All you who represent them within these walls, stand forth!"

Theodore Nott, Astoria and Daphne Greengrass, Hari, Susan Bones, Ron and Ginny, and Luna all stepped forward. Malfoy started to rise, but was jerked sharply down by Blaise Zabini. "I have a right to stand in the stead of Malfoy," he whispered harshly.

"_Malfoy _is a French upstart line that started eight generations back and likes to think itself pure," Zabini whispered back.

"How dare you impugn my house!"

"I have every right. I am of higher rank than you."

"You are not. I can stand for House Black as well."

"Actually," Hari said softly, voice carrying across the silent room. "You can't."

"And why not," he sneered. "_You _can't_. _You're just a filthy little half-blood. You don't even have any Black blood. Whereas my mother is a daughter of House Black."

A loud snarl echoed through the room, and everyone glances at the large, grim-like dog that had them all on edge. To everyone's surprise, he was growling lowly, and in no way matched the noise they'd heard. They all whipped around to look at Hari as she placed a gentle hand on Neville's arm. "Calm down, anam cara, it is fine."

To their shock, they realized the sound had come from him. He took a depth breath and unclenched his fists. "I'll deal with you later, _Malfoy._"

"Your wrong three times Malfoy. I'll let you figure two of them out later. However, I'll tell you this: I am Heir to House Black, or didn't you hear the future me? Besides the fact that My grandmother was a Black. Dorea Potter nee Black. Plus the fact that the current Lord Black has named me Heir as he awaits trial by the Magical World Security Council. Something he never got in Britain. In the meantime, he has been released into my custody, where he can walk anywhere he wants with impunity, untouchable." She smirked. "Lord Black is my godfather, Sirius. Orion. Black." At those words the dog stood, trotting to her side, where he became a man. People screamed.

"Arrest him!"Umbridge shrieked, only to be silenced by a wave of Sirius' hand. Hari laughed and hugged him.

"Now I believe, there is a vote in order. Those in favor of the reading?" Nott, Luna, the Greengrasses, and Ginny and Ron raised their hands.

"Sorry Hari, but I think we need to know." She nods slowly.

"I get it. So... Who wants to read?"

To no one's surprise, Hermione volunteered to read first. The first book was levitated to her, as everyone settled in. Neville removed the silencing charms from the Dursleys with reluctance.

"**Hari Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**," she read.

"**Chapter one, The Girl Who Lived. **Hari groaned and hid her face on Sirius' back, as he had gone back to Padfoot.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.** "Well of course we are. We are normal respectable people, unlike you worthless freaks," Vernon sneered. The entire room erupted in outrage. McGonagall silenced them all quickly. Hari quickly went to talk to her, pulling Neville beside her. They hurried out after she nodded briefly. Umbridge looked fit to explode as she demanded they come back. Hermione meanwhile resumed reading, ignoring the Dursleys who were smirking in a superior manner.** They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. **"That's right, this all just a bunch of nonsense and you're all_ freaks,"_ Vernon said. Just as The room started to explode once more, a sheet of magic stuttered to life around the Dursleys. Eight colors were swirling together: red, green, blue, yellow, gold, silver, bronze, and black. After it appeared, Hari and Neville weren't too long in returning.

"Miss Potter, what is this?"

"It's a shield, sir. We can't hear them, unless they have something nice to say, but they can hear us, and it's selectively physical as well."

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde, and had nearly twice the normal amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

At this everyone looked over at Dudley, and started laughing. Dudley flushed, which was worsened, along with the laughter when Petunia threw her arms around her son. It was some time before it was settled enough to resume reading.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a terrible secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover** it. The entire room leaned forward eagerly.** They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish ** "NOT A REAL WORD!" The entire Ravenclaw table, plus Hermione protested.** as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what they neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small child, too, but they had never even seen her. This girl was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that. **By the end of that paragraph, Hari, Neville, Hermione, Ron, the teachers, Lupin, the Weasleys, Padfoot, and, surprisingly, Snape were growling and otherwise expressing their displeasure. Though, oddly, Hari's, Neville's, Ron's, Hermione's, and Snape's had an odd quality to almost seemed like Professor McGonagall and Padfoot's.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts,** "Why, you mean," "It hasn't already?" Fred and George joked to break the tension.** there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work,** All Marauders, Tricksters, and Renegades in the room retched and looked horrified.** and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye, but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley ** "Don't encourage him," snapped Mrs. Weasley, with most adults nodding.** as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar- a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen- then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his rearview mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive- no, _looking_ at the sign; cats couldn't read maps _or_ signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing but the large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. **"One track mind," muttered Hermione.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven from his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes- the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion.** "NOPE!" Hari cheerfully proclaimed. "Its a stupid _old_ fashion."** He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt- these people were obviously collecting for something... yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. _He_ didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.****He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road,** Hari gave a horrified shriek. "The world has gone mad! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" She clutched Neville dramatically. He sighed good-humoredly and carefully detached her hands from his shoulders.**to buy himself a bun from the bakery.** "Never mind. 'Sall good. We gonna live," she chirped, plunking herself down in Neville's lap. Neville just wrapped an arm around her to keep her still.**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. ****This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —"**

**" — yes, their daughter, Harmony —"**

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.** A cheer went up until they remembered the magic bubble, where the Dursleys were yelling away, except for Dudley, who was lifting weights. Hari smirked and offered them a childish finger wave. It felt so good to cut up, and mock them, and do all the things the hated, knowing they couldn't do anything. Oh, sure, she'd probably pay for it later, but it'd be worth it.**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid.** "The first step to solving any problem is admitting it," Ron quipped, earning high fives from Hari, Hermione, and Neville.**Potter wasn't such an unusual name.** "Actually in the wizarding world, you're the only one. And you're richer than the entire world, magic and mundane together." Ron said.**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a daughter called Haley. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his niece was called Harmony. ****He'd never even seen the girl. It might have been Haley. Or Hannah. ****There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if he'd had a sister like that. . .** There was another round of growls.**but all the same, those people in cloaks…**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry,"** "He knows the word!" Hari fake swooned.** he grunted, ****as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare,**

**"Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!" And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.** "His arms FIT?!" The twins yelled in shock.**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination. **"How did you survive?" Everyone who knew Hari's mad prankster skills looked to be in shock. She looked up with a completely deadpan expression. "It was hard."

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw—and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

**Was this normal cat behavior? **"Nope, its just Aunt Mina." Professor McGonagall, to everyone's shock, smiled at Hari indulgently. **Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). **Mrs. Weasley just shook her head.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"_And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin._ ****_ "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?_"**

**"_Well, Ted,_" _said the weatherman,_ "_I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight._"**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters. . .**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good.**

**He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously.** "Coward," Snape snorted, unaware that Padfoot was thinking the exact same thing.** "Er — Petunia, ****dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her crowd."**

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their daughter — she'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't she?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's her name again? Haley, isn't it?"**

**"Harmony. Nasty, common name, if you ask me." **Padfoot turned back into Sirius and strode over to the bubble. "A, we didn't. B, we don't care what you think. C, Its better than Dudley. Were you drunk or high when you named him? Or both?" He calmly walked back, opting instead to sprawl out as himself this time.

**Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them. . . **"Awwwww, c'mon! Everyone knows that's how you jinx it!"

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. **Much to the fury of Fudge and the toad, even the Slytherins cheered their headmaster.

**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. **A deadly hush fell over the room, they could feel something important was happening.

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. ****"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news."**

**She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. ****They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore.**

**"We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

**Professor McGonagall flinched, ****but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name." **Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Hermione murmured.

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too — well —noble to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs." **

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. **I**t was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. ****He went to find the Potters. ****The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."**

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's daughter, Harmony. ****But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, ****or how, ****but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harmony Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done. . .all the people he's killed. . .he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding. . .of all the things to stop him. . .but how in the name of heaven did Harmony survive?"**

**"We can only guess." said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harmony to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family she has left now."**

**"You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harmony Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "Her aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to her when she's older. I've written them a letter."**

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?,**

**These people will never understand her! She'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harmony Potter day in the future** "Oh God, it isn't, is it?" She demanded with horror, sagging in relief when the response was a negative one.— **there will be books written about Harmony — every child in our world will know her name!"**

**"Exactly." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any child's head. Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember! Can you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it?" **"You knew, didn't you?" Hari suddenly leapt up. "You knew, and that's why you chose them!" Her hands shimmered with sparks before her arms exploded into flames that quickly engulfed her as she stormed from the room, doors flying open before she touched them. Neville hurried after her. When it became apparent they weren''t returning anytime soon, Hermione read on.

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the girl getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harmony underneath it. **Dumbledore was given some very disturbed looks.

**"Hagrid's bringing her."**

**"You think it —wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. ****If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got her, sir."**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got her out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. She fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a tuft of blue-black hair over her forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

**"Is that where —?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore****" **

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well — give her here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harmony in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I — could I say good-bye to her, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harmony and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog. **"HEY! I take offense to that!" Sirius protested, drawing laughs from the somber crowd.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it —Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harmony off ter live with Muggles —"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered in a gentle tone, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harmony gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harmony's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out. **"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!1 NOT THE TWINKLE!" The twins, Lee, Sirius, and Lupin wailed. Snape smirked.

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "Ill be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harmony," he murmured. ****He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. ****A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harmony Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and he slept on, ****not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley. . .She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harmony Potter — the girl who lived!" **"You know," Sirius remarked, "You shoulda known I was innocent right there. I gave him my bike.

**~RoR~**

Neville chased Hari through the castle, and into the Room of Requirement. She was trembling, and covered in fire. He sighed. "Hari," he murmured. "Hari, I need you to calm down." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, ignoring the flames that tickled his skin. She turned into him, fire vanishing in less than a second, and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him for all she was worth. He hugged her tightly. Suddenly he was holding a much larger, much furrier body. Grinning, he let her go and dropped to the floor as his own paws formed.

* * *

**AN: Hope you don't hate it. I love you all! And as always: Talk to me, critique me, ask me questions, I shall always reply, when I can. -RebelUp. -your friendly neighborhood renegade.**


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